EU Economic Protests Spread to Austria; Secret Documents Show CIA's Assange Obsession

Trade unions and other social and other working-class groups flowed into the streets across Austria as the EU's self-imposed sanctions regime continued to crush living standards and stoke anger.

Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. A number of the breakaway regions in Eastern Ukraine are pushing to hold votes on joining the Russian Federation. Also, President Erdogan argues that Russia is amenable to a negotiated settlement and Liz Truss ignores working-class suffering and vows more money for Ukraine.

K. J. Noh, peace activist, and writer, joins us to discuss China. The US stance on Taiwan is getting more confrontational as a new anti-China bill seems designed to arm Taiwan and provoke war. Also, the Chinese foreign minister is meeting with his Nicaraguan counterpart and the SCO meeting showed that pipeline politics are at the center of future geopolitical agreements.

Ted Rall, political cartoonist, and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss the EU. Trade unions and other social and other working-class groups flow into the streets across Austria as the EU's self-imposed sanctions regime continues to crush living standards and stoke anger. Also, the French have been warned of blackouts this winter because nuclear energy production will not meet the nation's energy needs.

Margaret Kimberley, editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents, joins us to discuss neo-colonialism. Margaret discusses the passing of the Queen and how this event has reopened a conversation about the oppressive history of European and American colonialism.

Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Israeli troops raid the home of the director of the Al-Aqsa mosque. Also, the Israeli prime minister has vowed to extract gas from the Karish oil and gas field with or without a deal from Lebanon.

Marjorie Cohn, Professor Emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, joins us to discuss Julian Assange. Recent documents show that the CIA took control of the security company that was hired to guard Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Also, a human rights group has asked the UN to abolish "death by incarceration."

Steve Poikonen, national organizer for Action4Assange, joins us to discuss domestic policy. US lawmakers have exposed that they oppose student loan forgiveness because it will hurt military recruitment. Also, the US is becoming a "developing country" by global standards and the Pentagon has ordered a review of its clandestine psychological operations.

Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and CounterPunch, and author of "Let Roe Go: Winning Abortion Rights," joins us to discuss the US military. The US State Department has stopped publishing its military expenditures.

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